In Thailand, the round cotton bundles containing herbal mixtures were once the secret tools of ancient healers, and up until recently, could be obtained only from traditional healers or from the That massage school or Temple of the Reclining Buddha, Nowadays, though, you can make your own with various combinations of hers - for deep heat soothing of muscle aches and pains.

The original of Thai herbal compress are obscure, but it's known that such compresses were used the soothe the aching muscles of war - weary soldiers during the Thai-Burmese battles of the Ayutthaya period over 200 years ago. Such compresses were also popular in neighboring Burma, Cambodia and Laos, though the formulae differ from region to region, depending on the local plants and herbs.

With the recent back-to-nature trend among stressed and health-conscious urbanites, these herbal compresses are now packaged and sold commercially in Bangkok's many health stores, so you can give yourself a quick-fix heat treatment at home. Some Thai woman use these store-bought compresses on their abdomens after giving birth, to help ease the tired, bloated feeling that comes after childbirth. Call prakop in Thai, the herbal compress has been incorporated into modern spa treatments, often in conjunction with massage.

As with other herbal therapies, the ingredients in the compress may be mixed according to specific formulae to address specific ailments. Generally the compress contains from 9 to 20 ingredients, though there are some standard ingredients that form the base of every compress.

If you want to make your own compress at home, we suggest you use some of the following healing ingredients :

Prai : This ginger is a natural moisturizer that relieves muscular aches and pains while softening the skin.

Kaffir Lime : These miracle limes help tone the skin.

Take a handful of each ingredient, and place them in a piece of cotton cloth and tie into a firm bundle. Heat the parcel over an steamer or hot pot before applying on the body. Traditionally, the application was done in conjunction with massage - the sore muscles were worked first, then the heated compress was applied to the problem spots. The heat relaxes the aching muscles and helps to open the pores, allowing for better absorption of the herbal ingredients. Allow the heat to penetrate into your muscles, and feel stress and tension ease away beneath the healing kneading of a firm (but never painful) masseur.

Benefits include the soothing of sore and aching muscles, an easing of respiration with the ingredients camphor and menthol, and the reduction of tension through the heat and aromatic properties of the herbs.